Yes, it’s a reference to our undying love for Star Wars, but it also happens to be the name of a live Sotheby’s auction of Nigo’s personal stash of Star Wars collectibles that raked up a total of US$502,202. One of the items, a Canadian Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back seven-figure multi-pack from 1980, was auctioned for a whooping US$32,500! Star Wars is just one of Nigo’s many interests, but as the UT (Uniqlo T-shirts) Creative Director, he sets out to take different kinds of pop culture – something he has a strong passion for – and translates them onto t-shirts in the UT range. These UTs have become central to Uniqlo’s Lifewear philosophy and embodies the brand’s unwavering commitment to authenticity and quality. Nigo banks on his exceptional strength as a curator and selects only the world’s top examples of pop culture and comes up with the best ways to convey the graphical contents on the UT. This season sees humorous lego-themed designs for both adults and children, music icons from the Universal label, and more. We spoke with him about streetwear fashion, this season’s UT collection, and of course Star Wars, when we were in Tokyo last month to check out Uniqlo’s Spring/Summer ’16 Collection. By Adam Kerr.
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